January 15, 2009

Name:

Popeye

Age:

Three years old

Gender:

Male

Kind:

Congo African Grey

Home:

St Albans, West Virginia, USA

This
is Popeye. He is a congo African Grey. He is three years old and
will turn four the day before I turn 47. I am his third owner and last
owner. I couldn't get through a day without Popeye's chitter chatter. He
can carry on conversations so well I am not sure if it's him repeating
what he has heard in the past or if he truly understands. He does
understand several commands, one of which is "Whistle for the puppies." He
loves the puppies and they love him. However, I never leave them alone.

Popeye came to me at a critical time in my life. I was slowly dying from
being overweight and not doing anything about it. I have lost since 87.8
pounds in total now and I know I will continue to lose the weight, since I
decided to have Gastric bypass. Popeye was so good while I was healing,
always asking if I was okay when I would get quiet or when I had to empty
the drain or change the bandages. He was always concerned about what I was
doing. He does this thing where he says something he thinks is funny then
says "I made a joke." He is very funny, and he is my bird and my bird
only. He won't have anything to do with anyone else. He is a gem and I
love him more than anything and though a physiologist told me once that
pets don't have the ability to love you back, I say "Phooey to him!" How
does he know this, has he asked a critter or something? He is by far the
smartest bird I have ever owned. He can figure out new puzzles in three to
four seconds flat. You don't even have time to grab the camera and snap a
picture. He is one amazing bird.

He is my best friend forever! He talks from the time he gets up till he
goes to bed, even talking a lot of times with food in his mouth. We call
him Popeye the wordy bird and have made up a song he is learning to sing.
It goes to the tune of Popeye the sailor man. The song goes like this:
"I'm Popeye the wordy bird, I've learnt every single word. I won't eat my
spinach, there's too much iron in it. I'm Popeye the wordy bird." He will
tell me if he is cold so I will turn off the fans/aircleaners. He tells me
so many things. But the cutest thing he does is call Bear the puppy - a
Yorkshire terrier - by going "Bear bear bear bear bear!" It's just too
cute and so is my Popeye.